The Luce Brings Tribute Portfolio Style to St. Pete Beach

Published on Nov 16, 2025, 11:35 am CST

6 min read

Key points

The Luce, a Tribute Portfolio hotel on St. Pete Beach, is scheduled to open in early 2026 with bookings from March 15, 2026
The nine acre beachfront property will feature about 200 rooms, two restaurants, and what the hotel calls St. Pete Beach's largest pool
On site venues will offer more than 14,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space for up to 200 guests
Guests will have direct Gulf beach access plus cabanas, a 24 hour fitness center, lawn games, and curated lifestyle programming
The Luce participates in Marriott Bonvoy, so members can earn and redeem points and access elite benefits during eligible stays

Impact

Booking Timing: Travelers looking at St. Pete Beach for spring and summer 2026 can already book The Luce for stays from March 15, 2026 onward
Trip Planning: The property's beach access, large pool, and programming make it a contender for beach vacations that blend nightlife with relaxation
Event Planning: Meeting planners and wedding parties can use the 14,000 square feet of venues for groups of up to 200 guests on the Gulf
Loyalty Strategy: Marriott Bonvoy members can fold The Luce into a broader Florida strategy for earning and burning points on the Gulf Coast
Access And Transfers: Proximity to St. Pete Clearwater International Airport and Tampa International Airport keeps transfer times reasonable for fly in guests

A new Marriott Tribute Portfolio address is coming to Florida's Gulf Coast, as The Luce in St. Pete Beach prepares to open in early 2026 on the former Postcard Inn site at 6300 Gulf Boulevard. The nine acre beachfront property will bring about 200 rooms, new dining concepts, and a large pool deck directly on the sand, positioned as a playful but polished retreat that still plugs into Marriott Bonvoy.

The Luce In St. Pete Beach

According to the ownership group and management company, The Luce is being developed by The LCP Group in partnership with Safanad and will be operated by Crescent Hotels and Resorts as part of Marriott's Tribute Portfolio collection.The hotel is described as a coastal lifestyle retreat that nods to the retro Florida of the 1960s and 1970s, with bold patterns, flamingo pink accents, and lush greens layered over more contemporary stone and rattan finishes.Communal nooks and social spaces are central to the design, which aims to attract both overnight guests and locals for events, dining, and sunset rituals.

The Luce inherits a high profile stretch of shoreline. The site previously housed the Postcard Inn on the Beach, a mid century motor lodge turned surf themed favorite that closed and is now being reimagined as a sleeker, Bonvoy linked property.That context matters for repeat visitors who know the address; the bones of a classic beach hotel remain, but the positioning shifts toward lifestyle and loyalty driven travelers.

Rooms, Suites, And Amenities

When it opens, The Luce is expected to offer around 200 guest rooms and suites, including lanai style rooms near the pool and bungalow studio suites with private outdoor lounges that support QR code ordering.Standard rooms will feature either a king bed or two queens, Lavazza coffee machines, smart televisions with streaming, and bath amenities from Scandinavian haircare brand Sachajuan, which lines up with the Tribute Portfolio emphasis on local character plus design forward details.

Public areas are built around what the hotel calls St. Pete Beach's largest pool, a central swim club area with direct beach access, adjacent cabanas, and a lively pool bar.Plans call for weekend yoga, live DJ sessions, a nightly sunset social, and curated music playlists that extend from the lobby to the beach club, which signals an atmosphere that leans more toward social resort than quiet hideaway.

The property will also include a 24 hour fitness center facing Gulf Boulevard with Life Fitness equipment, lawn games, and a small retail boutique.Pet friendly policies allow up to two dogs per room with weight limits and tiered nonrefundable fees, so travelers who often bring pets to the beach can factor those costs into stay planning.

Dining, Bars, And Beach Club

Food and beverage is a core part of the pitch. Sundrop, the lobby level restaurant and bar, will serve brunch and dinner with indoor and outdoor seating, positioning itself as an all day hangout for both guests and locals.On the sand, Baby Turtle Beach Club will handle coastal American fare and drinks at the pool and beach, backed by a separate bar that can support the daily sunset scene and live music.

Marriott's own listings emphasize two restaurants and two bars on property, a mix that should help keep guests from needing to leave the resort for every meal while still leaving room to explore St. Pete Beach's independent restaurants along Gulf Boulevard and in nearby Corey Avenue.Expect the menus to lean into local Gulf seafood, bright cocktails, and shareable plates that fit with the laid back but design conscious setting.

Meetings, Weddings, And Events

Beyond leisure demand, The Luce is targeting small to midsize groups, weddings, and social events. The hotel will offer more than 14,000 square feet of event space spread across seven venues, including a roughly 2,280 square foot ballroom, several flexible indoor rooms, and two main outdoor spaces called Palm Court and Palm Pavilion.Combined, these venues can host events of up to about 200 people with Gulf views and direct access to the wider resort.

For planners, that size sweet spot fits destination weddings, incentive trips, and regional meetings that want a beach setting without moving into mega resort territory. The mix of indoor and outdoor spaces also gives some weather resilience in Florida's storm and summer thunderstorm seasons; receptions can start outside, then move inside once humidity or showers pick up.

Location And Access

The Luce sits directly on St. Pete Beach's shoreline, with the sand only a short walk from the pool deck. The address at 6300 Gulf Boulevard places it within walking distance of local bars, restaurants, and the Corey Avenue district, plus a short drive to Pass a Grille and downtown St. Petersburg.

For fly in travelers, the closest airport is St. Pete Clearwater International Airport (PIE), about 15 miles from the hotel, while Tampa International Airport (TPA) is roughly 26 miles away, both without dedicated hotel shuttles.In practice, that means budgeting for rideshare, taxi, or private transfer, and leaving extra time during peak beach traffic periods or on weekends when bridges and causeways into the barrier islands can back up.

Background: Tribute Portfolio And Bonvoy

The Luce joins Marriott's Tribute Portfolio, which is positioned as a collection of independent minded, design led hotels that keep their own names and local quirks while tapping into Marriott systems and loyalty.For travelers, that typically translates into a boutique style experience without giving up Bonvoy earning, redemption, and elite benefits like late checkout or upgrades when available.

Marriott lists The Luce as opening soon and already accepts bookings for travel dates starting March 15, 2026, which gives early adopters a visible calendar for spring and summer stays.As always with new builds and heavy renovations, travelers booking in the first months should watch for any soft opening phases, remaining construction on some amenities, or evolving service levels as the team ramps up.

Final Thoughts

The Luce, St. Pete Beach, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, is shaping up as a higher design, lifestyle focused option on a stretch of Florida coastline that has long skewed to older motels, legacy resorts, and a few newer builds. For travelers who want direct beach access, a large pool scene, and the ability to earn or redeem Marriott Bonvoy points, it is a property worth watching as reservations for March 2026 and beyond open up. If St. Pete Beach is on the list for a Gulf Coast escape, this new Tribute Portfolio hotel adds a notable choice to compare against established neighbors once its doors open.